


up from here

by panndulce



Category: NCT (Band), WAYV
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Cats, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Very Mild/Implied Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:53:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29593782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/panndulce/pseuds/panndulce
Summary: “I promise you. I did not steal your cat.”Kun finds a cat, and makes a reconnection.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun
Comments: 14
Kudos: 142
Collections: Challenge #5 — I heard a secret..





	up from here

**Author's Note:**

> the “very mild/implied sexual content” is basically non-existent, but i figured i would tag it just in case lol. i hope you enjoy!

It all began about a week ago, with two pairs of wide, pleading eyes staring right up him— one pair being far more irritating than the other.

“Absolutely not.”

“C’mon, just for tonight— _c’mon_.”

“ _Yangyang_ —“

“For one night! Look! He needs a bath at least!” To prove his point, Kun’s roommate shoved what was probably the cleanest, glossiest coat he’d ever seen on a cat right in his face. That’s what had ended up giving Kun pause— a clean face and a soft, brushed coat, well-maintained claws perched on Yangyang’s fingers. 

“Aside from this being a terrible idea, I’m pretty sure this cat belongs to someone already.” 

Yangyang’s undeterred, of course. “That’s why he’s _gotta_ stay. He can’t fend for himself outside, he’s too spoiled now. Aren’t you, kitty?”

 _That’s_ what had ended up breaking Kun’s resolve. Irritating as he can be, it was tough to say no to Yangyang, and even tougher to say no to big blue eyes and a little pink tongue darting out as Yangyang jostled him around, like the cat was nodding in agreement. Cheap tactics that would only work on a weaker man— and do.

“He can stay _one_ night— we start asking around about an owner _tomorrow_.”

That last note was lost on Yangyang, Kun knows. He already sprinted towards the bathroom in triumph at “one night”, but it was fine— despite the risk of a strict no-pets policy in the apartment building, it was fine for a night, _probably_.

“Oh, to live life the way you do.” Kun sighs, back against the bathroom doorway. The cat peeks up from the tub and it must be torture for whoever’s missing the little thing. Two wide-eyed friends without a care in the world, apparently.

“I still work and pay the same amount of rent as you do— maybe you _should_ live life the way I do.” Kun considered arguing back, but opted to kneel beside Yangyang instead, marveling at how calm their overnight guest remained under soap and warm water. 

Something oddly calming about those eyes, Kun had to admit. The semi-damp cat came to lay next to him as he settled in for bed, and he allowed it. 

“ _You_ don’t think I’m uptight.” Kun ran a hand along the soft coat, and the warm puddle next to him purred in agreement, probably. 

—

The cat stays for more than one night, of course.

He remains in the weird in-between of a new food and water setup in the corner by the kitchen, a couple toys, and no name. Kun says it’s to not confuse the cat with a name he doesn’t recognize, and also because it’s just not _their_ cat. So Yangyang just takes to calling him “kitty”, and it begins to just sound like a name anyway a week in. 

The cat responds every single time, and Yangyang coos loudly. “ _Fuck_.” Kun says under his breath.

There’s a danger in getting attached. Emotional _and_ logistical— the cat’s quiet enough, but prone to escape attempts— _numerous_ escape attempts that’ve cut way too close, way too many times that Kun knows it’s a ticking time bomb. One door or window left open for two seconds too long right when the manager’s waltzing by and it’s all three of them out in the streets— and only _“kitty”_ will have an actual home to return to after. 

It’s simply too risky. The stack of lost cat notices sits on the living room table anyway. The cat likes sitting on top of them now.

“ _Fuck_.” Kun says, a grown man on his knees, covered in cat hair, wiggling a stuffed goldfish for kitty’s amusement.

—

The building is small, but comfortable enough, with twelve units mostly made up of Kun’s fellow university graduates a block away. He scooped up Yangyang along with him in his last year of uni— the building’s not much, but it blows the dorms out of the water, and Kun might just have a thing for picking up little friends and taking them home, apparently. 

The manager’s not much older than any of them. Yangyang has it on good intel that his dad owns the building— “I mean.” Yangyang gestured at a crisp Ralph Lauren polo with two buttons undone across the table at the bar. Kun’s polite, so he only nodded— save the shit-talking for back at the apartment, that’s the rule. The manager had to be a little nice, attempting to bring them all together, anyway. 

Free drinks at the little impromptu mixer, made up of fellow twenty-somethings fresh out of their last year of higher education hell— he never came across Ten Lee on campus, but their conversation flowed nice and easy, even over everyone crowded together at the bar space on a humid Saturday night, and Kun’s buzzed off his ass so he tells Ten _so_ goofily, _so_ earnestly that he thinks they would’ve been good friends.

“Good friends? You think so?” Kun’s nod was too firm, but Ten laughed anyway, light, _cute_ , and then closer, warm breath sticky on the shell of Kun’s ear. 

“I think so too.” 

The morning after, Kun slipped back next door to his own unit, and that was that. 

Makes sense, Kun thinks afterwards. He rarely sees Ten leave his unit. Kun doesn’t much either now, with his workload— he only really talks to Ten again for the first time afterward at the coffee shop he works at by campus, after Kun’s made the still-debatable decision to pursue his Masters. 

They probably could be good friends. When he makes his small talk with Ten and Ten smiles the way he does, Kun still thinks it, a little. But at this point in their lives, they probably don't really _need_ any new friends, and it’s fine.

— 

“I promise you. I did _not_ steal your cat.”

Ten narrows his eyes as he bounces “Kitty”— _Louis_ , apparently— on his knee. 

For the first time in maybe _ever,_ Ten had knocked on Kun’s door. They exchanged the same polite greetings they do at the coffee shop, Ten rubbed the back of neck and Kun froze still at his “super, _really_ random” question: “You haven’t, like...seen any cats around lately, right?” 

As if on cue, the cat in question darted out Kun’s door— and straight through Ten’s.

“I believe you.” Ten declares, finally, _graciously_. His eyes don’t soften but Kun’s passed the trial, at least. The layout of Ten’s living room is a little different from what Kun remembers— most likely to accommodate the three giant cat towers he’s pretty sure weren’t there before.

“Not to overstep. But—“

“But you’re gonna overstep.” Ten’s back is turned to him, settling Louis on his top of this towering throne. Kun takes wide steps to avoid the scattered toys and he wonders— _would_ they actually be good friends? Could he _be_ friends with someone so ready to accuse him of being a _pet stealer_? 

“How have you not gotten caught?” 

Ten shrugs. “Lot of strays in the area. The manager has to always gives us notice when he’s coming over too, so.” The nonchalance reminds him so much of Yangyang, but Kun thinks it’s more crafted. Sure enough, the crack comes through. “Sorry for, uh—“

“Accusing me of theft.” Kun finishes with a quirked eyebrow. The smile Ten gives is apologetic and, unfortunately, as cute as the one from the mixer.

It’s what breaks his resolve, again— “You can keep a secret, right?” Ten asks.

“Of course, I’d never even dream of—“ 

“We’re in this together now, then.” The smile is still cute— _evil._ It comes with a little cock of the head— cheap tactics that would only work on a weaker man.

They decide that when Ten’s at work, Louis can stay in Kun’s unit. It’s safer than having him wander outside or stuck bored alone, and even when Kun’s out, Yangyang will be more than happy to look after the cat— he loves that cat, and so does Kun. _Fuck_.

“Our cat.” It slips as a half-joke, and it’s _weird,_ so Kun holds his breath for a second, waiting for Ten’s reaction. His nose scrunches. _Cute. Fuck._

“Gross.”

“ _Hey—_ “

—

Ten has special organic wipes for Louis‘ coat and home cooked meals packaged in tupperware for Fridays. Kun scoffed the first couple of weeks. He reavalutes after he’s taken Louis on their second walk in his glorified cat/baby holder he got off eBay.

The arrangement has Ten knocking on Kun’s door very often now, either right before or long after Kun’s returned from his morning classes. Ten’s always tired either way— Kun’s seen firsthand how hectic the shop gets. It makes sense, watching Ten methodically wipe at Louis’ eyes and between his paws, quiet, peaceful, _gentle_ — Ten’s always very, very gentle.

With Louis anyway. Kun thought Ten might bite his head off in the beginning when greeting was maybe _too_ cheery the first couple of weeks. 

Kun understood before, but not the way he does more now, he thinks. Kun chats and mingles with professors, classmates, tenants, a connection every which way. He gets home, Yangyang talks his ear off even more and it’s another day he’s tackled, on to the next. _It’s not as easy for Ten_ , he thinks, now watching him apply special lotion that makes Louis that much softer to the touch. 

When Ten speaks, it’s sometimes sarcasm and wit, and sometimes it’s introspection and something very, very close to venting when he’s come back from work particularly exhausted. It’s all of that until it stops, like a dam to a river, and he has to sit cross-legged on the floor, finish Louis’ night routine with the same precision as the night before, very, very gently. Kun almost doesn’t want to disturb him at first, until Ten shows him how to do the process himself one night, and sure enough, they’re in the same space, pampering a spoiled puddle of a cat. 

“Good.” Ten nods, as though he’s giving a measured, professional evaluation on how to clean the gunk out of a cat’s ear. “I trust you.” He finishes with a grin, and Kun’s glad he passed.

Louis knows tricks too, apparently. He gives paw and twirls in a sloppy circle and Kun might be tearing up a little. “Be careful with all the treats.”

“Don’t tell me how to raise my child.” Ten introduces a diet plan a couple days later, but he and Yangyang still sneak treats in, and it does begin to feel a little like _our cat._

—

Management is supposed to give notice before coming into a unit for inspection. Their manager gives Ten about eight minutes one morning. 

The cat towers are unceremoniously shoved into the closet— “I’ve _told_ you should clean this out—“ along with the toys, litter box— only thing left is Louis himself, only loud around strangers, and definitely not allowed outside on his own anymore after the “cat stealer” mishap, so _he’s_ shoved in the bathroom.

 _They’re_ shoved in the bathroom. Ten’s got nice smelling soaps and a neat little mat and Kun is a grown man hiding in a bathroom for his life on a Sunday morning.

Kun holds Louis in one hand and plays Candy Crush with the sound off on the other on the toilet lid when he receives the text.

[11:23] _U might have to escape_

[11:23] _How?_

[11:24] _window_

He glances up at the perfect intersection of doable but profoundly inconvenient. 

[11:26] _Ten_.

[11:27] _im_ _sorry :( :(_

[11:27] _i_ _owe u one. <3_

At the very least, they live on the bottom floor of the building. Yangyang laughs at the minor scrape on Kun’s arm and coos at Louis when they visit him on campus in between his classes. Kun then goes for a consolatory cup of coffee at Ten’s place of work. It’s not busy at all at that hour, so Ten’s co-barista Sicheng lets him bring Louis in against the shop’s rules, and reaches over the counter to pet at soft fur.

“You don’t usually come in at this hour.” Sicheng notes over the sound of steaming milk.

“Well— unexpected detour, I guess.”

He hums in response. “Sorry Ten isn’t here right now.” Sicheng looks up and smiles sweetly with a hint of _something_. Ten’s must’ve never mentioned the fact they’re actually neighbors.

“I know he’s only brave enough to talk to you when you’re here instead.” _Or on second thought_.

“Not sure what you’re talking about.” Another sweet smile in response. “But I don’t think there’s anything he should be afraid of. Not _him_ of all people.” Kun can’t even imagine it, really— _Ten Lee_ , alluring one night stand, cat smuggler, and unexpected maybe-co parent, maybe-friend?

“Well, it’s not really any of my business anyway. But you should maybe tell _him_ that if you’re so sure. You want banana bread?” Kun accepts the bread graciously. He has to consider the advice a little more. 

He receives the all-clear a little while after. _come home :)_

Ten grabs Louis from Kun’s arms like its a long lost reunion. “Oh yeah, it’s cool. _Louis’_ the one who had to jump out a window today.”

“He did, technically. And he probably did it better than you— like, biologically and stuff.” The worst part is, he’s _right_. 

Ten makes it up to Kun by ordering takeout. Yangyang swings by to eat half of Kun’s plate and roll around with Louis for a bit, a break from his homework next door. Ten watches them, and Kun watches him from beside him on his couch. 

Ten’s bought new toys to make it up to Louis too. “He’s been through a lot today.”

“You are really so much.” Kun comments from where Ten and Yangyang are baiting Louis into a wrestling match with a stuffed plush crab. 

“You think so?” Ten looks up, breathless from laughter, and Kun decides that yes, they could be good friends. Maybe they already are. 

Yangyang’s back next door by midnight, and Kun and Ten are splayed out on the couch, with as much space as Louis permits, right in the middle. 

“You can stay over if you want.” Ten suggests. It sounds familiar, so it sparks something low and warm right underneath Kun’s chest and wrists, and he looks up lazily to just see Ten staring off into nothing, eyes heavy with sleep. The sliver of skin peeking through his sweater ignites different kinds of warmth. It’s a little ridiculous to take him up off his offer when he lives right next door, but he does.

“My couch is really comfy.” Ten grins mischievously, and it actually is, despite Ten’s protests to switch places and take his bed instead. Kun doesn’t mind, really. “What a gentleman.” Ten scoffs, but whether it’s because of sleepiness or something else, there’s no bite behind it at all. There might even be something like a little fondness instead.

Deeper into the night, Louis comes up to lay rest on Kun’s chest. In the dark, Kun can just barely take in the details of the living room he’s come to know, with well-worn furniture pulled in from the streets and refurbished, and crafts and trinkets and photos pocketed into corners along the cat paraphernalia. He had a knack for scooping things up and bringing them along his way— Kun understood it all too well. 

He runs his hand along a glossy, well-loved coat— “Thank you.” It’s not entirely obviously to him what he’s thanking the cat for, but Louis cocks his head to the side and purrs in understanding, probably. 

The next morning, Ten has a early shift, so they rise slowly, Kun whips up a quick breakfast in thanks for letting him crash, and slips out of the unit back to his own. 

“I’ll see you later.” Ten mouths through Kun’s window as he’s on his way out to work. Louis lounges on the windowsill next to him, and Kun has a good feeling about what they could be in the future. 

—

[4:06] _[image attached] us :) <3 _

[4:07] _Hahaha cuuuute_

[4:15] _Wait. That’s Louis? Who’s that other cat hugging Louis_

[4:21] _Ten_

[4:32] _TEN_

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!! ♥️
> 
> edit: YAY POST-REVEAL thank you everyone who’s read/left kudos and comments and the like!! I’m so grateful for how kind everyone’s been 😽♥️ I’m here on [twitter](https://twitter.com/papapann0) if anyone ever wants to chat!


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